Linderhof Castle
The beautiful Linderhof Castle was built between 1870 and 1886 by order of the fairytale king Ludwig II and is located in the Upper Bavarian municipality of Ettal. The so-called "Royal Villa" was considered the favourite castle of the monarch, affectionately known as "Kini" in Bavaria, and is one of the most attractive sights in southern Germany. In addition to the palace itself, the magnificent palace garden, which is home to numerous ornate decorative buildings and attractions, is also a delight.
Linderhof Castle in the Bavarian municipality of Ettal was the third castle project of the fairytale king Ludwig II, along with the famous castles of Neuschwanstein and Herrenchiemsee. It is the smallest of these three castles, but at the same time the only one that was completely finished during Ludwig's lifetime. It is also considered his favourite castle, where he spent by far the most time. Linderhof Palace was built in several stages between 1870 and 1886 on the site of a hunting lodge originally owned by Ludwig's father Maximilian II. In terms of architecture and interior design, Linderhof is reminiscent of a typical 18th century French pleasure palace. It was well known that King Ludwig II was an ardent admirer of the French Sun King Louis XIV. And it is not only the castle itself that bears witness to this - many pictorial motifs, objects of art and the royal bedroom, which resembles the bedroom in Versailles, also show Ludwig's attachment to the French royal house. Behind the ornate baroque façade of Linderhof Palace is a magnificent rococo interior that delights visitors with its opulence and craftsmanship of the very finest quality. No room in the castle is without beautiful ornaments, luxurious furniture, paintings or golden décor. Together with the extraordinary park, Linderhof Palace in its entirety forms one of the most attractive and artistic ensembles of the 19th century.
In addition to the palace itself, the fantastic palace garden, laid out between 1874 and 1880, is also well worth seeing. In this park, which combines ideas of typical baroque and rococo gardens as well as English landscape gardens, there are numerous ornate decorative buildings and attractions. The most beautiful of these include a large basin from which a fountain over twenty metres high shoots out, the "Hermitage of Gurnemanz" - a small chapel built after the play "Parsifal" by Richard Wagner - and the Moorish Kiosk with its oriental design. The Venus Grotto, a magnificently decorated artificial stalactite cave, and the Hunding Hut, also built in the style of one of Wagner's works, are also well worth seeing. The Königshäuschen, the former hunting lodge of Maximilian II, which was moved during the construction phase, can also be visited in the castle park. Visitors to Linderhof Palace can enjoy a wealth of unique impressions along gently curving paths that lead past magnificent beech, oak and spruce trees.
The entire castle complex is barrier-free and is best visited during the summer season, which lasts from around mid-April to mid-October. The castle and the Venus Grotto can only be visited on a guided tour, which takes about 25 minutes (10 minutes extra for the grotto). In the winter season, all park buildings except the King's House are closed. During the summer months, interesting special tours for adults and children take place at Linderhof Palace, where all participants can have a lot of fun and learn interesting facts about the castle and its builder.
Linderhof Palace and its park are fascinating with a wealth of beautiful impressions and should be on every Bavarian holidaymaker's excursion list.
